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Short-scale flat-wound recommendations

wiscoaster

wiscoaster

Mar 28, 2021
1,056
1,408
Wisconsin
#1
I'd like recommendations to replace the round-wound strings on my four-string short-scale G&L Tribute Fallout bass with flat-wound strings. My reason for wanting to replace the strings is to make the sound fuller and a little less twangy, especially on the upper end. I'm sorry, I don't know what's on there now, other than they're round-wound. Whatever the bass came with as new. Mid to upper level price point OK for new strings.
 
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#2
La Bella DTB's, best string on the market IMHO. I use either .104's or .105's on my Gibby's. They'll last years and the sound won't change very much once they're broken in.

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#3
OK, I'm a noob at picking strings. I see your pic has four gauges I take to be G down to E. So when you recommend .104 or .105 you're just spec'ing the E string, with the other three assumed to key off that? I'm looking at the Guitar Center website product listing for LaBella strings and it looks like their selection box for a set of four strings keys off the gauge for the G string? Am I making proper sense of that? Thanks....
 
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#5
OK, thanks. They don't have 760FL-S or 760FS-S. They have 760FL (.043, .060, .082, .104) which I presume is the set of four for standard scale length. Can I use that - since the gauges are the same - assuming I don't mind discarding the excess length? Thanks again!!
 
#6
wiscoaster said:
They don't have 760FL-S or 760FS-S. They have 760FL (.043, .060, .082, .104) which I presume is the set of four for standard scale length. Can I use that - since the gauges are the same - assuming I don't mind discarding the excess length?
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When it comes to La Bella Flats, you do need to make sure they're the correct length for your bass. So, no. La Bella explicitly warns against having any of the fully wound part of the string wrap around the tuning post.
 
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#9
wiscoaster said:
OK, thanks. They don't have 760FL-S or 760FS-S. They have 760FL (.043, .060, .082, .104) which I presume is the set of four for standard scale length. Can I use that - since the gauges are the same - assuming I don't mind discarding the excess length? Thanks again!!
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They have those in short, medium and long scale, make sure you get short scale strings for your bass.
 
#10
wiscoaster said:
OK, thanks. They don't have 760FL-S or 760FS-S. They have 760FL (.043, .060, .082, .104) which I presume is the set of four for standard scale length. Can I use that - since the gauges are the same - assuming I don't mind discarding the excess length? Thanks again!!
Click to expand...


Yes, I was just going by the E string, they have so many different gauges, I forget the correct names. I like either the .104's or .105 on short scale basses, you want a little tautness when you pluck.
 
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#11
These are quite a bit stiffer than the FL's I posted up above, they are pretty easy to find but as some of us have said make sure you get the proper scale for your bass, you don't want to wrap the wound part around your tuning key, it ruins the strings (go dead right away) and probably wouldn't fit through the hole in the key anyway.: La Bellas are not cheap they probably cost about 4o bucks a set but last forever and sound very good at least to me. Very smooth sounding string, I've never tried GHS Precision flats, I've heard good things about them but the La Bellas are so good I just stick with them and I've tried a lot of different kinds of flat wounds.

Here's the FL's, they must be out of the FS's

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#12
wiscoaster said:
I'd like recommendations to replace the round-wound strings on my four-string short-scale G&L Tribute Fallout bass with flat-wound strings.
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First off, welcome to talk bass.

La Bella flats are my first choice too. The Other flats I also like are Dunlop and Dr Legend. But everyone has their favorite flavor, and pretty much all of them in time get pretty thumpy. Check the classifieds here For Sale: Parts, Strings, and Accessories. There are usually ads selling used strings, many times flats, as well as short scale. It's a great way to try different strings without having to pay retail. Besides, you might luck out and find something you like right off, not have to buy a new set for many a years.
 
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#20
michael_t said:
When it comes to La Bella Flats, you do need to make sure they're the correct length for your bass. So, no. La Bella explicitly warns against having any of the fully wound part of the string wrap around the tuning post.
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...yet it works just fine, IME, both though body and trimmed and wrapped around the posts. I've had a set of full scale DTBs .110s on my stock Squier Bronco for about 10 years now, and a set of the Rotosound .110s flats on my '76 Musicmaster even longer, among countless other problem-free applications of full scale strings on short scale basses. The stock Bronco and Musicmaster tuners have about the smallest bass tuner posts you'll find. The G&L Tribute posts are thicker.

Of course, if you can get the "right" length, go for it. But don't let not being able to get it stop you.
 
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